When to Dublin I came from the sweet County Down,
I called on a friend for to show me the town;
He brought me thro’ streets, lanes and alleys so grand,
Till my brogues were almost wore and I scarcely could stand.
He showed me fine houses, were built up so high,
And a man made of stone almost up to the sky,
But the names of them places went out of my brain,
Show him up to the college in Petticoat lane!

Chorus:
Ri tu ral, ru ral, ri tu ral, ru ral le

Convenient to Petticoat Lane there is a place,
And as we walked through it we couldn’t get peace ;
The shops were all full of fine clothes, black and blue,
But the fellows outside nearly tore me in two.
One dragged me this way to get a good freize,
Another had corduroy breeches my size;
But one chap bawls out, when I wouldn’t remain,
Show him up to the College in Petticoat Lane!

Chorus

We got loose from this spot, myself and my friend,
I couldn’t do less than a teaster to spend ;
But we spied boys and girls in a laughable group,
Sitting cross-legged and they licking up soup.
Says I: “Are these what you call your poor house recruits?”
Ax the divil! says one and his bowl at me shoots ;
They roared with pleasure, while I roared with pain,
Arrah, Paddy, you’re welcome to Petticoat Lane!

Chorus

My friend thought to drag me away by the sleeve,
When a tartar dropped over my head an old sieve ;
I turned for to strike her, but got in the eye
A plaster of what they call mutton pie.
I kept groping about, like a man that was blind,
‘Till I caught hould of somebody coming behind ;
I prayed that I might get the strength of a Cain,
To be able to whale him in Petticoat Lane.

I walloped away, and I got walloped too,
While all sorts of ructions were raised by the crew ;
You could swear it was raining brick-bats and stones,
‘Till I heard my antagonist giving some groans.
Run and be d…….d to you! some one did cry,
Sure I can’t for the mutton that’s stuck in my eye ;
I was led through the crowd, and heard somebody saying,
There’s a Peeler most killed in Petticoat Lane.

Chorus

These words like a thunderbold fell on my ear,
So I scooped all the fat from my eye pretty clear ;
My friends told the crowd that was ’round to be mute,
While we slipped to a house called “The Sign of the Boot,”
There I called for a sup, and we both took a seat,
Two or three that had backed us came in for a treat ;
When reckoning was called for, my pocket’s were clean,
For pounds, shillings, and pence were in Petticoat Lane.

Chorus

The reckoning it came to a hog and a groat,
For which the landlord took a lend of my coat ;
I started without, still cursing the town,
Says he: “You have killed C.106 –
Arrah, be aisy sir, I want none of your tricks!”
But the sergeant and twenty more swore it was plain
That I was the bully of Petticoat Lane.

Chorus

They all swarmed about me like flies on a cask,
But to prison to take me was no easy task ;
When I got there I was charged with the crime,
‘Twas my own brother Darby I bate all the time.
When he seen me he let out a thundering curse,
On the day that he first went to join in the force ;
He released my ould coat and he got me off clean,
To go home and say prayers for sweet Petticoat Lane.